How to hire a maintenance helper

How to hire a maintenance helper, step by step

Here's a step-by-step maintenance helper hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a maintenance helper job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new maintenance helper
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a maintenance helper do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a maintenance helper, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a maintenance helper to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a maintenance helper that fits the bill.

   This list shows salaries for various types of maintenance helpers.

   Type of Maintenance Helper	Description	Hourly rate
   Maintenance Helper	General maintenance and repair workers fix and maintain machines, mechanical equipment, and buildings. They paint, repair flooring, and work on plumbing, electrical, and air-conditioning and heating systems.	$11-19
   Shop Helper	A shop helper is in charge of providing technical assistance to staff. Their responsibilities include operating devices and machinery, assisting in kit arrangements, preparing and handing over tools to mechanics, monitoring the inventory of supplies, and performing basic repairs as needed... Show more	$12-18
   Groundskeeping Maintenance	A Groundskeeping Maintenance Worker performs several skilled and semi-skilled tasks in grounds keeping and building trade areas. They maintain turf places, including weed control and Integrated Pest Management... Show more	$11-18

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Hand Tools
   • Plumbing
   • Ladders
   • Preventive Maintenance
   • HVAC
   • Mowing
   • Maintenance Tasks
   • OSHA
   • Grounds Maintenance
   • Perform Routine Maintenance
   • A/C
   • Routine Maintenance
   • Safety Procedures
   • GRASS

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Painted/striped beams (per OSHA safety standards.
   • Fabricate safety guards and railing to upgrade machinery to OSHA standards.
   • Used a variety of gauges and tools to troubleshoot and repair equipment.
   • Preform grounds keeping including; mowing, spraying, watering, laying mulch, and fertilizing.
   • Perform operational checks, pressurization checks, run and ringe out wires to meet FAA specifications.
   • Preform basic preventative maintenance on all HVAC units: filters, coils, belts, grease, replace parts, etc.

   More maintenance helper duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your maintenance helper job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A maintenance helper salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, maintenance helpers' average salary in mississippi is 42% less than in alaska.
   • Seniority. Entry-level maintenance helpers earn 43% less than senior-level maintenance helpers.
   • Certifications. A maintenance helper with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a maintenance helper's salary.

   Average maintenance helper salary

   $14.82hourly

   $30,824 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level maintenance helper salary

   $23,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 17, 2025

   Average maintenance helper salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Alaska	$38,243	$18
   2	Colorado	$36,081	$17
   3	California	$34,553	$17
   4	New York	$33,884	$16
   5	Oregon	$32,767	$16
   6	Virginia	$31,751	$15
   7	Washington	$31,289	$15
   8	Pennsylvania	$30,855	$15
   9	Arizona	$30,794	$15
   10	Illinois	$30,298	$15
   11	Texas	$28,945	$14
   12	North Carolina	$27,899	$13
   13	Ohio	$27,478	$13
   14	Georgia	$27,428	$13
   15	Utah	$26,912	$13
   16	Alabama	$24,223	$12

   Average maintenance helper salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Analogic	$47,369	$22.77
   2	National Grid plc	$46,514	$22.36	2
   3	Smiths Group	$45,448	$21.85	1
   4	L3Harris	$44,871	$21.57	7
   5	Freeport-McMoRan	$44,724	$21.50	7
   6	Dover	$44,616	$21.45	10
   7	Novelis	$43,946	$21.13	7
   8	Valmont Industries	$42,647	$20.50	17
   9	Sherburne County	$42,384	$20.38
   10	Eaton	$42,141	$20.26	28
   11	Ecolab	$42,078	$20.23	10
   12	Steel Dynamics	$41,516	$19.96	21
   13	Schnitzer Steel	$41,277	$19.84
   14	Lane County Engineer	$39,972	$19.22
   15	Klein Tools	$38,654	$18.58	1
   16	Dexter	$38,586	$18.55	1
   17	New York State Restaurant Association	$38,364	$18.44
   18	Jayco	$38,131	$18.33	1
   19	Mannington Mills	$38,078	$18.31
   20	Titan International	$37,768	$18.16	2

4. Writing a maintenance helper job description

   A good maintenance helper job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a maintenance helper job description:

   Maintenance helper job description example

   1. Complete daily PMs on all assigned presses as identified on the daily PM sheet for assigned plant. Place completed PM sheet in Maintenance Coordinator’s completed PM paperwork “In Box”.
   
   2. Advise the Maintenance Coordinator or Supervisor of any problems or discrepancies found while conducting daily PM or “Any Time”, and ask to determine if necessary to write the appropriate work order in the AMMS system.
   
   3. Ensure all assigned presses, work areas, restrooms and break areas are maintained in a clean and orderly manner. If a problem develops as a result of another’s negligence, advise the Maintenance Coordinator or Supervisor in writing.
   
   4. Ensure all leaks (oil, water, etc.) are immediately identified for repair and reported to the Maintenance Coordinator or Supervisor; enter a work order in the AMMS system; contain and/or clean up the leak using the appropriate safety equipment, procedures and personal protective equipment.
   
   5. Conduct daily inventory of all supplies needed to perform assigned responsibilities and reorder through the Tool Crib Attendant, as needed.
   6. Utilize a teamwork approach when needed to accomplish large projects. 7. Maintain exterior of facility and grounds by keeping litter and debris picked up and disposed of, as needed and/or assigned by the Maintenance Coordinator or their Supervisor/Manager. Company DescriptionTechniplas is a leading global design and manufacturing provider of engineered products and services that are helping to shape the future of mobility. Our 3,000 associates, around the world, are passionate about making the connected world. By continuously expanding the reach of our data enabled cognitive technologies into everything we do, we deliver personalized, performance-enhanced and sustainable mobility. For more information, please visit www.techniplas.com.
   
   Everything we do is based on the quality and dedication of the Techniplas team, and our team members are our biggest asset. We will continue to attract, retain, and energize the best and the brightest and invest in deepening their capabilities.
   
   Techniplas provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, Techniplas complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right maintenance helper for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with maintenance helpers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit maintenance helpers who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your maintenance helper job on Zippia to find and recruit maintenance helper candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting maintenance helpers requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new maintenance helper

   Once you have selected a candidate for the maintenance helper position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new maintenance helper. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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